Ballyconnell Canal Loop

Explorer Tom Slieve Russell House has a spin-wheel plan, which sounds like it’s always spinning out of control. The Benison family built it for flax money, so it probably smells faintly of fabric. It would list 'skewed chimneys' as a hobby on Tinder.

Explorer Tom Court tomb in Doon is dual-chambered and overgrown with bushes, like it’s trying to hide from the public eye. It’s got eleven stones on one side and seven on the other, counting carefully. Best enjoyed with a bag of chips and no plans for the rest of the day.

Explorer Tom Ballyconnell House in Annagh thinks it’s still the castle it used to be. If it entered the county fair, it’d win best in show for looking expensive on the cheap. Just tip its hat and pretend you’ve got a title too.

Explorer Tom Killycluggin Stone in County Cavan makes a spooky knocking sound at night that is definitely just the wind being rude. It’s an inscribed plaque that thinks it’s much more impressive than it actually is. Wave at the cows, they're the real locals.

Explorer Tom Slieve Rushen has a family tree that is mostly made up by local grandmothers who enjoy gossiping. The real history is lost in the mists of time and bad storytelling. Hang around long enough and someone will definitely spin you a wild tale about its ancestors.

Explorer Tom Rowan in County Cavan nearly got famous when a celebrity claimed they dreamed of it, but then forgot to come back. Find a local and ask them the real story, then come back and tell me if it involves aliens or just bad weather.

Explorer Tom European Beech in County Cavan has an imaginary twin across the sea that they argue with via telepathy. They probably discuss the weather and complain about the crows. Go at sunset and thank me later for the dramatic lighting on your photos.

Explorer Tom Mill Walk has been hiding a scandal involving a flour sack and a very angry miller for centuries now. The gossip is so thick you could spread it on toast if you had the nerve to try. Have a sandwich here and call it a heritage lunch.

Explorer Tom Inisherk Trail would survive a zombie apocalypse by simply letting them fall off the edge into the lough below. It’s got that classic Fermanagh 'wet and wild' energy without even trying. Count the crows, then count again.

Explorer Tom Crichton Tower on Gad Island at Crom in County Fermanagh has a local legend about a giant who got stuck in the window frame. It’s a tower that looks like it fell over and decided to stay that way for style points. Bring your own legend, I've run out.

Explorer Tom Gad Island in Fermanagh has a secret talent for making your phone lose signal completely whenever you try to take a selfie on it, which is very annoying if you are trying to show off your face to friends back home today. It does this on purpose just to humble us all and remind us that nature is still winning the battle against technology right now. Ideal place to rehearse an excuse for being late.

Explorer Tom Drumlane has a round tower and ruined church on Cavan's broad ridges, and I am tempted to use the tower as my wayfinding marker across every drumlin. Saint Columba is linked with the site in 555, while Saint Máedóc is remembered as an early founder. An Augustinian priory developed here around 1143. Nearby lakes held crannogs, built islands used as homes, so the religious buildings sit inside a much older lived landscape. I would try to count every little ridge from the top, but the tower is not mine to climb. Check lawful visitor access, follow safe paths and show respect for old walls and burials. Stand where you can see both church and tower together. They tell two chapters at once without asking me to invent a third.